New booklet a wonderful free resource for families

For me, it was debate and tennis. What was it for you? The “it” in this case is extracurricular activities.

For many people, including me, those were some of the most enjoyable, valuable and memorable parts of high school. And if you were fortunate, you found similar enriching, challenging activities long before high school.

Now there’s an incredibly useful, free resource that helps students, families and educators understand the vast range of academic and artistic competitions, challenges, programs and enrichment opportunities available to Minnesota youngsters.

The new booklet is not just for high school students. Some of the activities, programs and competitions are for elementary and middle school students.

So whether your youngster’s passion is chess, chemistry or current events, or math, music or mock trials, I’d urge you to get a copy of “Reach for the Stars.”

Educators statewide have teamed with Minnesota’s Synergy and Leadership Exchange and Lifetouch, a national photography company, to publish this great catalog. Reach for the Stars includes almost 100 academic and artistic competitions, challenges, programs and enrichment opportunities. It’s at http://www.synergyexchange.org/Educate/Reach.aspx

Copies of the booklet are being distributed via schools and some social service agencies. Parents can request a free individual “hard copy” by calling 612-578-3377 or sending an email request to [email protected]

I did a quick “Google search” to look at research in this area. Here are two of many available.

Some years ago the U.S. Department of Education summarized research in this area. It concluded, “Extracurricular activities … offer opportunities for students to learn the values of teamwork, individual and group responsibility, physical strength and endurance, competition, diversity, and a sense of culture and community.

Extracurricular activities provide a channel for reinforcing the lessons learned in the classroom, offering students the opportunity to apply academic skills in a real-world context, and are thus considered part of a well-rounded education. Recent research suggests that participation in extracurricular activities may increase students’ sense of engagement, or attachment to their school, and thereby decrease the likelihood of school failure and dropping out.” http://nces.ed.gov/pubs95/web/95741.asp

Here’s a second, more recent example. Journalist June Kronholz says she spent “four years on her high school newspaper and 30 years at the ‘Wall Street Journal.’ ” Last year she summarized more recent research. She also described an interesting modern day experiment. She posted a question on the Facebook site of her college-attending sons, asking what they learned in high school that prepared them for college.

While acknowledging some fine teachers, “they wrote that extracurriculars introduced them to new ideas and interests, taught them to study more efficiently, developed their social skills, and exposed them to caring adults.” For a great combination of research and reflection, see her piece at http://educationnext.org/academic-value-of-non-academics/

In compiling and publishing Reach for the Stars, Synergy and Leadership Exchange, Lifetouch and the educators with whom they’ve worked have given Minnesota youngsters a great gift.